EP 1 533 157 A2 discloses a rear-window roller blind comprising a winding shaft, a roller blind strip which can be wound thereon and a pull-out profile attached to the free end of the roller blind strip. The pull-out profile is guided at at least one end in a guide rail. The rear-window roller blind further comprises a base arrangement which serves as a bearing arrangement for the winding shaft. For assembly, the guide rails can be inserted on an assembly line into side trim parts of the C-pillars of the motor vehicle and assembled thereon. The guide rail is provided with a first plug-in means. The base arrangement has a coupling arrangement comprising a second plug-in means which is complementary to the first plug-in means and is couplable thereto. The rear-window roller blind can be assembled with the base arrangement, for example, below a parcel shelf. Subsequently, in a separate step, the side trim parts, with the guide rails inserted therein, can be assembled on the C-pillars. In a further step, the plug-in means are engaged with each other with a precise fit. The second plug-in means is mounted via a resilient shank in order thus to position the two plug-in means relative to each other.
The object of the invention is to provide a lateral guide for a shading roller blind that can be assembled in a simple manner while making allowance for production tolerances. It is a further object of the invention to provide an associated shading roller blind.
The object of the invention is achieved by a lateral guide for a shading roller blind comprising at least one guide rail with a first plug-in means and a connection piece with a second plug-in means which is complementary to the first plug-means and is couplable thereto, the intercoupled plug-in means being displaceable relative to each other to compensate for tolerance. The connection between the guide rail and the connection piece—more precisely between the two plug-in means—is thus not rigid at least in a plug-in direction or axial direction of the rail. In other words, the plug-in connection has a degree of freedom at least in the plug-in direction. The plug-in direction is also referred to as the axial direction of the guide rail, wherein the guide rail can run in an arcuate manner. A plug-in position which can be individually selected in the plug-in direction thus allows, for example, compensation for tolerance between a guide rail fixed in the motor vehicle and a connection piece associated with the shading roller blind. The plug-in means can in this case be formed at the opposing ends of the guide rail and the connection piece.
In a development of the invention, the plug-in means have in the plug-in direction at least one groove and a tongue complementary thereto. The tongue-and-groove connection can prevent twisting. The groove is in this case in one embodiment formed on the guide rail, the complementary tongue being formed on the connection piece. Alternatively or additionally, a tongue, which can be inserted into a groove on the connection piece, is formed on the guide rail.
In one configuration of the invention, the plug-in means have teeth which are complementary in the plug-in direction. Such teeth prevent breaks which remain during coupling or a gap remaining between the connection piece and the guide rail from acting as what are known as bumps or uneven portions for a sliding element or the like which is displaceable in the guide rail. The width of the individual grooves and/or tongues forming the teeth is in this case preferably less than the width of a sliding element guided in the guide rail.
In one configuration of the invention, at least one plug-in means has at least one locking element by means of which the guide rail and the connection piece can be engaged with each other in the plug-in direction with play. In other words, the plug-in means are joined together in a floating manner in the plug-in direction. The locking means forms a stop, as it delimits a maximum distance of the plug-in means from each other and accordingly prevents undesirable decoupling during use.
In a development of the invention, the guide rail and the connection piece have coaxially couplable guide grooves for a sliding element. The sliding element is, for example, connected to a pull-out profile of a roller blind strip of the shading roller blind. Means for displacing the sliding element in the guide grooves can act on the sliding element in one configuration. The guide rail and/or the guide groove preferably run in a curved manner, in particular in a (circular) arcuate manner, although inconstancy in the course of the guide groove is avoided for good displaceability of the sliding element. Preferably, the curvature of the guide rail and/or the guide groove follows a contour of an associated window.
The object is also achieved by a shading roller blind for a motor vehicle with a pull-out profile, which is guided in a lateral guide according to the invention. The shading roller blind is, for example, configured as a sun protection roller blind on a panorama window in the roof of the vehicle, as a sun and/or visibility protection roller blind on a side door or as a rear window roller blind. The pull-out profile has in one configuration at at least one end a sliding element or the like which is displaceably mounted in the guide groove. The sliding element is in one configuration configured in one piece with the pull-out profile. In other configurations, the sliding element is produced separately, for example as a sliding block, wherein a connection between the pull-out profile and sliding block can be pivotable in its configuration. Materials having good sliding properties can be used for the sliding block and/or the guide groove. The pull-out profile is arranged at a free end of a roller blind strip, so that the roller blind strip can be unwound from a winding shaft by applying a force on the pull-out profile in a pull-off direction. The pull-out profile is in one configuration rigidly connected to the roller blind strip and/or configured at least partly in one piece therewith. In other configurations, the pull-out profile is attached to the roller blind strip so as to be able to move along an edge thereof.
In one configuration of the shading roller blind, the guide rail is connected to a bodywork and/or a trim part of a motor vehicle, in particular in the region of a C-pillar, and/or configured in one piece therewith at least in certain portions. The shading roller blind is for example configured as a rear window roller blind, the guide rails being arranged on the C-pillar of the motor vehicle. The guide rails are connectable to the motor vehicle bodywork and/or a corresponding side trim part as early as a preassembly stage, wherein suitable locking means can be provided for this purpose on each guide rail, such as are described for example in EP 1 533 157 A2. The plug-in connection according to the invention with compensation for tolerance allows simple connection of the guide rail, which is attached to the side trim part, to the connection piece during the final assembly.
In one configuration of the shading roller blind, the connection piece is formed on a base arrangement and/or connectable to a base arrangement. The base arrangement is used for preassembly and/or a test operation of the shading roller blind. The shading roller blind can be assembled with the base arrangement in the motor vehicle, for example in the region of a side window or below a parcel shelf. A corresponding base arrangement is for example described in the aforementioned EP 1 533 157 A2, to the full content of which reference is made. The base arrangement comprises in one configuration a resilient peg or shank by means of which the connection piece is mounted. Such resilient mounting provides further degrees of freedom for the plug-in connection of the connection piece to the guide rail. The base arrangement preferably serves also has a mount for a winding shaft of the shading roller blind.
In one configuration of the shading roller blind, a drive arrangement is provided for unwinding a roller blind strip from a winding shaft and/or for winding the roller blind strip onto a winding shaft. The drive arrangement allows fully automatic and/or semiautomatic actuation of the shading roller blind. A semiautomatic actuation arrangement is configured for example as a spring accumulator assembly, wherein the winding shaft and/or the roller blind strip can be arrested in a stowage position and once the arresting has been released, the roller blind strip is unwound owing to a spring force. Retraction and winding of the roller blind strip are on the other hand carried out manually counter to the spring force of the spring accumulator assembly, the roller blind strip being wound onto the winding shaft in a compact manner by a restoring spring. In another configuration, unwinding can be carried out by manual actuation, wherein the roller blind strip can for example become caught in one position or a plurality of desired, extended positions and the restoring spring or a spring motor automatically carries out winding once the catching engagement has been released. In another configuration, motor drives are provided, the motor drive assisting the user in the actuation and/or the motor drive replacing manual actuation. The motor drive interacts for example with what is known as an antenna which acts on the pull-out profile for unwinding the roller blind strip. The motor drive can for example be configured as a pneumatic drive, hydraulic drive and/or with an electric motor.
In one configuration of the invention, the drive arrangement comprises at least one flexible push element which can be guided in the guide rail and/or the connection piece without the risk of buckling. The push element acts on a sliding element or the like which is guided in the guide groove and operatively connected to the shading roller blind, in particular to a pull-out profile. The push element is for example configured as what is known as a flexible shaft, toothed rack or toothed cord having a substantially cylindrical core and a coil surrounding the core. A toothed rack of this type can be driven in a simple manner by a gear-wheel which can in turn be driven by an electric motor or the like.
Further advantages of the invention will emerge from the subsequent description of exemplary embodiments of the invention which are illustrated schematically in the drawings. The drawings use uniform reference numerals for identical or similar components. All of the features and/or advantages emerging from the claims, the description or the drawings, including method steps, design details and spatial arrangements, may be instrumental to the invention both individually and in a broad range of combinations. Features described or illustrated as part of an exemplary embodiment can also be used in another exemplary embodiment to obtain a further embodiment of the invention.